Strong winds, hail, and heavy rain are common in Boerne and throughout the Texas Hill Country. If severe weather recently moved through your neighborhood, scheduling a roof inspection in Boerne can help you find damage that may not be visible from the ground. Homeowners can also check the National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio for local forecasts and severe weather information.
The tricky part is that roof damage isn’t always easy to see.
You don’t have to have missing shingles or water dripping from the ceiling for your roof to have a problem. Sometimes wind loosens a shingle or damages the seal underneath it. Flashing—the metal used around chimneys, walls, and other areas of the roof—can also become loose or damaged.
Here are some simple things you can look for after a storm and when it may be worth having your roof professionally inspected.
What Can You Check From the Ground?
First, don’t climb onto your roof to inspect it yourself. You can spot quite a few warning signs while keeping your feet safely on the ground.
Walk around your home and look for:
- Missing, lifted, or damaged shingles
- Pieces of shingles or roofing material in your yard
- Tree branches that fell onto or scraped the roof
- Loose or damaged gutters
- Dents in gutters or other metal around the home
- Metal around the roof that looks loose or out of place
- New water stains on your ceilings or walls
- Water appearing around a fireplace, window, or exterior wall
You can also step farther away from your house and look at the roof from different angles. If an area suddenly looks different than it did before the storm, it’s worth taking a closer look.
Can Wind Damage a Roof Without Blowing Off Shingles?
Yes. This is actually one of the easiest types of roof damage for a homeowner to miss.
A strong wind can lift a shingle without completely blowing it off the roof. The shingle may even settle back down afterward and look perfectly normal from your yard.
The problem is that lifting can weaken or break the seal that helps hold the shingle in place. That can make it easier for wind or rain to get underneath it during the next storm.
That’s one reason you may not notice a roof leak immediately after severe weather.
During a storm damage roof inspection in Boerne, we check for these less-obvious problems in addition to looking for missing shingles.
What Does Hail Damage Look Like?
Hail damage can look different depending on the type of roof you have.
On a typical asphalt-shingle roof, hail can knock away some of the small protective granules covering the shingles or damage the shingle underneath.
Tile roofs may have cracked or broken tiles.
Metal roofs can have dents, but we also check areas such as seams, screws, flashing, vents, and other places where damage could eventually allow water in.
The size of the hail isn’t the only thing that matters. Wind speed, the direction of the storm, the age of your roof, and the roofing material can all make a difference.
Some Roof Leaks Don’t Start With the Shingles
When homeowners think about a leaking roof, they naturally think about damaged shingles.
But leaks can start in several other places.
We often pay special attention to areas around:
- Chimneys
- Plumbing pipes
- Roof vents
- Skylights
- Valleys where two sections of the roof meet
- Areas where the roof meets a wall
- Previous roof repairs
These areas usually have flashing, sealants, or other materials designed to keep water out. If something becomes loose or damaged during a storm, water may find its way underneath the roof.
Sometimes fixing one of these smaller areas is all that’s needed.
Check Your Gutters Too
Don’t forget to look at your gutters after a storm.
Your gutters help carry rainwater off the roof and away from your home. If they’re loose, damaged, clogged, or tilted the wrong way, water may not drain properly.
Look for gutters that are:
- Pulling away from the house
- Dented
- Sagging
- Overflowing when it rains
- Leaking at the joints
- Holding water instead of draining
You may also notice pieces of roofing material or an unusual amount of shingle granules collecting in the gutters.
Does Storm Damage Mean I Need a New Roof?
No. Having your roof inspected does not mean you’re signing up for a roof replacement.
Sometimes a roof simply needs maintenance or a small repair. Other times there may be several damaged areas that need attention. There are also situations where the damage or overall condition of the roof makes replacement the better option.
The important thing is figuring out what your roof actually needs.
At Tackett Roofing, we don’t believe every roof problem should turn into a roof replacement.
If we believe a repair makes sense, we’ll tell you. If we find something more serious, we’ll show you what we’re seeing and explain your options so you can make an informed decision about your home.
When Should I Schedule a Roof Inspection in Boerne?
You don’t necessarily need to call a roofer every time it rains.
But it’s a good idea to have your roof checked if your home experienced a significant hail or windstorm or if you notice something that wasn’t there before.
Pay particular attention to:
- A new roof leak
- Missing or loose shingles
- Water stains on a ceiling
- A tree or large branch hitting the roof
- Loose metal or flashing
- Damaged gutters
- Roofing material in your yard
- A previously repaired area leaking again
Catching a small problem early can sometimes prevent a much more expensive problem later.
What Happens During a Roof Inspection in Boerne?
If you’ve never had your roof inspected, there’s no reason to feel intimidated by the process.
We’re simply trying to determine the condition of the roof and whether anything needs attention.
Depending on your type of roof, we’ll check the roofing material itself along with the areas most likely to develop leaks. That includes things like vents, flashing, valleys, chimneys, exposed screws or nails, previous repairs, and other areas where water could get underneath the roof.
If we find a problem, we’ll explain what it is, where it is, and what we recommend doing about it.
You shouldn’t need to understand roofing terminology to understand what’s happening with your own home.
Looking for a Roof Inspection in Boerne, TX?
Tackett Roofing serves homeowners in Boerne, San Antonio, and surrounding Texas Hill Country communities.
We provide roof inspections, roof repairs, roof replacements, storm-damage services, gutters, metal roofing, tile roofing, and commercial roofing.
Tackett Roofing is an Owens Corning Preferred Contractor and CertainTeed ShingleMaster.
Whether your roof needs a simple repair or something more involved, we’ll explain what we find and help you understand your options.
Think Your Roof May Have Been Damaged in a Storm?
If your Boerne home recently experienced hail, high winds, or severe weather and you’re concerned about your roof, scheduling a roof inspection in Boerne can help you understand whether anything needs attention. Give Tackett Roofing a call, and we’ll take a look.
Tackett Roofing
210-761-7663
We’ll take a look, explain what we see, and let you know if anything needs attention.
You handle life. We’ll Tackett From Here.
Frequently Asked Questions About Storm Damage in Boerne
Can my roof have storm damage even if it isn’t leaking?
Yes. Some damage doesn’t cause an immediate leak. A loose shingle, damaged flashing, or another small opening may become a problem during a later rainstorm.
Can wind damage a roof without removing shingles?
Yes. Wind can lift a shingle enough to weaken its seal without completely blowing it off the roof.
Does having my roof inspected mean I’ll need to replace it?
No. An inspection is simply a way to find out what’s going on. Depending on what we find, your roof may need nothing at all, some maintenance, a repair, or—in some cases—replacement.
Should I get on my roof and check it myself?
We don’t recommend it. Roofs can be slippery, and storm-damaged materials may be loose. Check what you can safely see from the ground and leave the rooftop inspection to someone with the proper equipment.
Does Tackett Roofing repair roofs in Boerne?
Yes. Tackett Roofing provides roof repair in Boerne, TX, along with inspections, roof replacement, storm-damage services, gutters, metal roofing, tile roofing, and commercial roofing.